Thread by @supertrashcity

Earlier this month, a bombshell report from @Hatewatch revealed the existence of clandestine training sessions held by neo-Nazi groups including Tennessee Active Club (TNAC) & the Vinland Rebels (VR) in the private gym above Lewis Country Store in Nashville. 🧵

https://twitter.com/Hatewatch/status/1666837618682675201

In this thread, we will take a closer look at the Tennessee chapter of the Vinland Rebels and one of its members, Robert Bray, who was first identified by @RawStory as a former Proud Boy who joined Sean Kauffmann in terrorizing a drag show in Cookeville earlier this year.

https://twitter.com/davelevinthal/status/1646453991453204480

With operations in TN, MT, & WA, the Vinland Rebels were included on @splcenter’s annual Hate Map released earlier this month.

SPLC describes VR as a “neo-Nazi hate group that has engaged in book burnings, banner drops, & racist flyering activities.”

splcenter.org/hate-map

Robert Bray first came to our attention when he joined Kauffmann, Randy Rabidue & a handful of other chuds in attempting to intimidate a drag show in Maryville last year.

Bray & Rabidue would later file police reports after their tires were slashed.

thedailytimes.com/news/friday-pr…

Bray’s activities with the Proud Boys date back to at least summer 2019 when he appeared on the Warrior’s Next Adventure podcast wearing a PB shirt.

Here, Bray discusses his military service & a job working for an unnamed business “installing cameras on school buses.”

Bray also talks about his mental health and states the reason he didn’t own a gun at the time was because he was “probably going to blow his brains out.”

He mentions joining a “fraternity” not just to get fucked up & have a good time but also because of his love for combat.

That summer, Bray joined Joe Biggs & Enrique Tarrio at the Aug 2019 End Domestic Terrorism rally in Portland.

The rally was a right-wing attempt to flip the narrative that violent extremists like the PBs weren't terrorists - it was antifa, a message Trump amplified at the time.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1162726857231544320

Bray again joined the Proud Boys during at least two other events the following year including a surprise rally in Philadelphia on September 26, 2020 after they no-showed on a planned event the week prior…

inquirer.com/news/proud-boy…

…and an appearance the following week in New Albany, Ohio on October 3, 2020 where Bray joined the Proud Boys in chanting “Joe Biden is a pedophile.”

https://twitter.com/craigcalcaterra/status/1312469124375699456

Bray later turned up at the infamous Million MAGA March in Washington DC on November 14, 2020 where he was photographed in a Santa hat between Enrique Tarrio & Zachary Rehl, both of whom would later be convicted of seditious conspiracy for their roles in January 6.

Bray’s whereabouts on Jan 6 are unknown, but it was revealed in testimony during the Proud Boys’ seditious conspiracy trial that a TN PB with Philly ties was a member of the Ministry of Self-Defense (MOSD) Telegram chat that planned the riot at the Capitol.

https://twitter.com/rparloff/status/1648177229136900096

The TN PB in the MOSD chats went by the handle President Leo Kuznetsov and, according to ex-PB Jeremy Bertino’s testimony, had “turtles in his name.”

On Telegram, Bray goes by the psuednym Dr. Leo with a turtle emoji in his name and the handle 'rapeturtle’ (now ‘turtlewaffen’).

https://twitter.com/rparloff/status/1629163845141905410

Before deleting all of his photos & changing his handle after the @RawStory article that named him came out, Bray’s Telegram profile pics included VR logos, PB memes, a photo of Bray at the now-destroyed Georgia Guidestones, and a pic of Bray’s dog Willie.

While we typically don’t dox dogs, we’re including Willie because he was crucial in helping us link Bray to Dr. Leo. In the 2019 WNA interview, Bray describes Willie as half-lab, half-bassett hound. Willie later makes a cameo & appears to be the same dog from Dr. Leo’s Telegram.

Since the April @RawStory article was released, Bray has been quiet in public Telegram chats.

One day after the article however, the Vinland Rebels made a post on their Gab channel targeting Chattanooga mayor Tim Kelly as anti-white, anti-American, & pro-LGBTQ.

Despite previously saying he didn’t own a gun because he would “probably blow his brains out,” Bray has showed up armed to at least two LGBTQ events in TN.

When asked by Cookeville PD if he was trying to provoke a violent confrontation, Bray responded: “Those aren’t people.”

In a video date-stamped Jan 2, 2021 and posted by Bray to Telegram, what appears to be a controlled explosion sends a large plume of smoke into the air.

At the end of the clip, Bray’s voice can be heard saying “That’s a spicy meatball.”

It is unknown if Bray is still employed installing cameras on school buses, but that’s probably the last fucking job an armed & mentally unstable neo-Nazi should be working.

Robert Allan Bray Jr. of Liberty, TN is a danger to the community in Tennessee & beyond.

@AnonCommieStan @LateNightAFA @SunlightAFA @sphere_on @nessienails @murphtracks @WizardAFA @Stumptown161 @OpossumPress @AntifaGarfield @redorchestraAFA @RoseCityAntifa